Star Trek: Everything We Do Matters
by SuperluminalM42
Summary: Ahida and her friend, Tasha Yohanatov, must undergo the Fal-tor-pan ritual.


A sequel to Star Trek: the Sacrifice.

After four years U.S.S. Excelsior was back in Federation space. The ship settled into standard orbit around Denitia Prime, for the space weary crew it was the first real shore leave in four years.

For Lt. Tasha Yohanatov, ships acting Chief Science Officer, it was bitter sweet. The day coincided with the second anniversary of the accident that had put her immediate supervisor, and friend, Ahida Uhura in a stasis tube. Closer to death than life. Packed away like a piece of cargo in the ships medical storage bay.

She beamed down with a group of friends. When no one was watching, she slipped away and vanished into the cities crowded nightlife.

A few blocks away, she spotted a small bar down an ally.

"Looks like a good place to get drunk." She said to herself. She slipped in and took a seat at the crowded bar. The bartender, a large gruff looking man came over, stared for several seconds and said.

"Not many human come here. What you want?"

"Vodka?"

"Only Denitian drink here."

"Fine. Something to get me drunk fast." Tasha watched as he filled a large glass from the tap. He sat the reddish brown liquor down in front of her. She took a sip and smiled. This would kill the pain for a while. She gulped some down.

Then she felt a hand on her knee. She turned slightly, a Denitian, old enough to be her grandfather was beside her. His lips only an inch from her ear.

He whispered, "You human are ugly, your face is too smooth and plain. But from the neck down you are nekash." Her universal translater couldn't translate that word, she imagined it wasn't very nice. His hand slid further up her leg. "I will pay you well, but you must cover that face."

She reached up and grabbed him at the base of the neck and squeezed. He crumpled unconscious to the floor.

Excelsior's Ready Room, six hours later.

The Red Shirt held onto Tasha's arm as he escorted her through the door. He wasn't worried she would try to flee. She could barely walk. Captain Sulu tended to some business and made her wait until he was ready to speak. Finally he looked up.

"Lt. Yohanatov, would you care to explain what happened last night?"

"Well, Hikaru," she giggled, "I'd love to, but I don't remember anything."

"Uh-huh. Let me refresh your memory. You slipped away from your landing party and proceeded to the sleezyest bar in the city. An area of the city you had been specifically warned to stay out of."

"Hey, I remember that."

"Uh-huh, I have the police report here. Were you aware the bar was a place men go to meet... prostitutes?"

"Umm...umm, probably not."

"According to the report, you were propositioned. You assaulted three customers and one bouncer. Leaving them all unconscious from what sounds very much like a Vulcan nerve pinch. Where did you learn to do that?"

"Ahida tried to teach me. But I just couldn't get it. It takes a very disaplined mind to manipulate the fingers in the proper way to initiate a nerve pinch."

"I'm aware of that. On the Enterprise, Mr. Spock tried to teach me as well. I couldn't master it either."

"Father never told me that."

Sulu looked up at her, "What did you say?"

"My fa... Ahida's father never told me...her...uh... I don't know what I'm saying."

"Uh-huh. The police found you asleep behind a trash dumpster. You're lucky, the men you assaulted, for whatever reasons, have elected not to press charges."

"That's logical. They all wore wedding rings. They would not want their...um... nevermind."

"Well, no harm done. But you are resticted to the ship for the duration of our stay here."

"Ok, I mean yes sir."

"Off the record. I miss her too. If I wasn't Captain, I'd have been right beside you. Dismissed."

After she left Sulu turned to his computer.

"Computer."

"Working."

"Access Vulcan data base. Cross reference: Docter Leonard McCoy and Katra."

Georgia, Earth.

The Excelsior would be arriving in eleven days. Dr. McCoy had spent most of the last two years studying Dr. Phalaun's medical logs, Ahida's medical records and Vulcan physiology. Excelsior's Chief Medical Officer had done an excellent job. But, a thousand light years from Federation space, she had little choice but to put her in stasis.

Ahida had spent over thirty minutes exposed to the vacuum of space, not to mention extreme sub freezing temperatures. Dr. Phalaun estimated ninty two percent of Ahida's alveoli, the tiny air sacks that take in oxygen when humanoids breath, had ruptured. Hypothermia had slowed her heart rate. That's what saved her McCoy believed.

New lungs had been cloned from her DNA on file at Starfleet Medical and were in stasis awaiting their new owner. It was going to be the most challenging surgery McCoy had ever done. As soon as the stasis tube was opened, they would need to cut her open. Attach a vein and artery to an artificial breathing apparatus that would pump oxygenated blood through her body. There would be only minutes, if not seconds to do it.

Then the new lungs would need to be transplanted. That could take fourteen hours he estimated. McCoy and his medical team had practiced for months on cadavers and replicated Vulcan body parts. If nothing goes wrong, she could be up and around in forty eight hours.

"If everything goes right." McCoy mumbled to himself. He took a sip from his mint julip and was about to go to bed, when the computer. announced.

"Incoming message, Captain Hikaru Sulu, U.S.S. Excelsior."

"Put him on." McCoy said. Sulu appeared on screen. "Hikaru, good to see you."

"Same here Doctor. How are preparations for the surgery going?"

"As well as can be expected. I'm confident that she'll be up and on your nerves a couple of days after surgery."

"Looking forward to that. We're diverting to Vulcan, can you do the surgery there?"

"Of course. Their facilities are better than Starfleet Medicals. Why the change?"

"It's Lt. Yohanatov, the young lady who was with Ahida on the shuttle. I have reason to believe she is carrying Ahida's Katra."

"Good God no! Spock's Katra almost killed me. That poor girl. Are you sure?"

"Her mannerisms and patterns of speech, at times are very similar to Ahida's. I've contacted Vulcan authorities. Ambassador Sarek is arranging a Fal-tor-pon ritual on Mt. Selaya, to be performed after the surgery."

"The Refussion. Felt like half my brain was torn out. And she's carried it much longer than I did Spock's. It could be very dangerous."

"I know." The two men sat in silence for several seconds. Then McCoy spoke.

"I'll get my team and gear together. We'll be leaving in a few hours."

"Good, see you on Vulcan. Sulu out."

McCoy took a long sip from his mint julip. He sighed. "If nothing else goes wrong."

Vulcan.

Excelsior dropped out of warp and drifted into a standard orbit above the deserts of Vulcan. McCoy and his team had arrived earlier and was busy sitting up in a surgical suit at the Vulcan Institute of Medicine.

Lt. Yohanatov wandered the ships corridor's. Ever since her episode on Denitia, she felt as if she was two people. At times she could feel Ahida's presence deep in her mind. She would speak and say things, in ways that only Ahida would. She knew she was there, try as much as she tried, she wasn't able to communicate. Dr. Phalaun had synthesized Lexorin, a drug that counteracted, to some extent, the affects of carrying a Katra.

Tasha paused outside her quarters. Ahida's quarters, she corrected herself. She entered her personal code and the door, sealed two years ago by security, wouldn't open.

How did I know that code, Tasha thought? Oh, that's right, I'm Ahida, no I'm not. She leaned against the bulkhead. The Lexorin is not working, I can't take this much longer.

Sulu's voice came over the ships intercom. "Lt. Yohanatov, report to the Captain's ready room."

She punched a nearby intercom. "On my way sir."

The man sitting in front of Sulu's desk rose to greet her as she entered the Ready Room.

"Father!" She exclaimed. "Oh...umm... Captain Spock. I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that."

"Quite alright." The Vulcan replied. "You were on the shuttle, with my daughter, after the accident?"

"Yes sir."

"In those last moments, did she touch you, in the manner of a mind meld?"

"No sir. She didn't...wait. Yes, when I first refused to take her EV Suit. She gave me a nerve pinch. Not hard, but enough to get her point across."

Spock thought for a long moment. "It is possible, her Katra, could have been transferred, through the nerves of your neck and planted in your lower cerebral cortex. May I join with your mind?"

"Uh..." She glanced at Sulu. "Of course sir."

Spock placed his fingers on her face and gently applied pressure. "My mind, to your mind. She spoke of her responsibility for your lives."

"Yes."

"Take my suit"

"I won't."

So far, this was telling Spock nothing he didn't already know. He probed deeper. Tasha gasped in pain.

From behind his desk, Sulu could see the pain on her face. She looked as if she were on the verge of screaming.

"Spock, enough."

"Father." Ahida's voice came from Tasha's mouth. Spock released her. She reached up and grabbed his hand. "I'm frightened"

Tasha blinked several times. When she realized she was holding Spock's hand, she let go.

"Sorry sir."

"She is here." He announced. "She buried her Katra deep in your mind. Evidently, she planted it deep, in order for it to be dormant until you reached Federation space."

"A few weeks ago," she said, "I got really stinking drunk on Denitia Prime. Ever since then I felt something different in my mind."

"That could have been the catalyst that awakened her earlier than planned."

"Hmph," Tasha said. "That girl could never hold her alcohol." Spock's face betrayed a bit of surprise. "Oh, I guess that was a little inappropriate to say."

"Yes...yes it was. I will contact my father, and advise him to complete the preparations for the Fal-tor-pan ritual"

"The Refussion?" Tasha asked. "I read about it. Is it as dangerous as they say?"

"For you and Ahida, it will not be pleasant."

"Sir. If Ahida, should...umm...if she...uh..."

"Dies in surgery? T'lar, the High Priestess who performed the Fal-tor-pan for Dr. McCoy and I, can extract her Katra and place it in a Katratic arc."

"At least she won't be lost."

"You should get as much rest as you can. What ever happens, it will be difficult for you."

Vulcan Institute of Medicine.

Per Dr. McCoy's instructions, Ahida's stasis tube was brought down from Excelsior via shuttle. He didn't trust the transporter for such a delicate task.

His team gathered around the tube and an operating table. Dr. Phalaun was at McCoy's side.

"Ok folks, this is it. Any last minute questions, comments or suggestions?" Not a word was uttered. "Ok, let's get to work."

Fourteen hours later.

McCoy stepped into the waiting room. Spock was in meditation, Uhura was asleep. Spock opened his eyes, roused Uhura. Together they stood and faced McCoy. Uhura desperately searched his face. But all she saw was exhaustion.

"She's breathing on her own. No sign her body is rejecting her new lungs. There is little synaptic activity. Her mind is quite blank."

"That was to be expected." Spock said.

"I want to monitor her for at least forty-eight hours. If there are no complications, I'll release her forthe Refussion."

"Understood."

Uhura leaned against Spock. "We almost have her back."

The Temple on Mt. Seleya.

There were no complications. As promised, McCoy released her.

Tasha, accompanied by Drs. McCoy and Phalaun, Captain Sulu, Mr. Tuvok and the Andorian engineer Tashaun, arrived just a bit late. As they entered the temple, a very large Vulcan guard blocked their way. He motioned for Tasha to proceed. His hand tightly gripped a sword, it was clear that no one else could enter.

"Dammit man." McCoy exclaimed, "I'm her Doctor, and I've been through this nightmare before. She's gonna need me there."

Dr. Phalaun, not to be kept away, defiantly glared at the guard. "I'm Ahida's Doctor, and you are not keeping me out."

An older monk standing nearby knodded to the guard. He allowed them to pass. Then glared at Sulu.

"I think I'd be wise to wait out here." Sulu told his companions.

Tasha, McCoy and Phalaun, assended the steps up to the alter. Spock, Uhura and Ahida, her expression, that of a child over whelmed by the sights and sounds she couldn't comprehend,waited by two slabs covered by white sheets.

Once they took their place, a gong echoed through the temple. T'lars entourage approached. After they sat her down, two monks helped the ancient Vulcan walk to the alter. She placed an unsteady hand on Ahida's forehead and closed her eyes. After several seconds, she removed her hand and spoke.

Spock, son of Sarek, son of Amanda, your daughters body contains no spirit. What is thy wish?"

"I request the Fal-tor-pan."

"Very well. Which being caries the the Katra?"

"I do." Tasha said. "Tasha Yohanatov, no father, daughter of Valintina. I have the Katra."

"Tasha Yohanatov, daughter of Valintina. You are an off worlder, you can not be expected to know our ways. The danger to thyself is as great as the danger to Ahida. What is thy choice?"

"As Dr. McCoy before me, I choose the danger."

"Por tah kali tohn." T'lar called out as another gong echoed. Tasha sat on the edge of the slab looked up at McCoy.

"For such logical, unemotional people, they sure like illogical pomp and ceremony."

"Couldn'tve said that better myself." McCoy said. He squeezed her shoulder as she lay down and smiled. Tasha turned her head. Nyota kissed Ahida on the cheek and whispered in her ear. Ahida turned to Tasha, there was fear in her eyes.

"It'll be okay." She smiled. T'lar stepped between them, placed fingers on their temples and went into a trance.

Hours passed. The sun, Epsilon Eridani, as it was called on Earth, slowly sat. The stiffling heat gave way to the chill of night.

Near midnight, T'lar broke contact.

"Kor lei i'hl hoh." It was done.

McCoy noticed Tasha beginning to shake. He ran his medical tricorder over her.

"She's in synaptic shock." He flipped open his communicator, the elder monks looked on in disapproval, McCoy didn't care. "McCoy to Excelsior, medical emergency. Two to beam directly to the Vulcan Institute of Medicine."

Dr. Phalaun examined Ahida. "She's only asleep. I suggest we move her somewhere more comfortable."

Ahida awoke two hours later. She was confused, but no longer had the look of a confused child. Her mother and father sat across the room. Spock appeared to be meditating, Nyota was asleep.

"Father, mom?" She called out. Almost before she could blink, she was being embraced in her mother's arms. Spock stood beside the bed being, well, Spock.

"Honey." Nyota said, as she wiped away tears. "You don't know how good it is to have you back."

Ahida looked around. "What happened, where am I?"

"The Temple on Mt. Seleya." Spock informed her.

"Seleya? That's impossible. I was just... I was..." She closed her eyes trying to think.

"What is the last thing you remember?" Spock asked.

"We were on a shuttle returning from a survey mission. There was an explosion, we were venting atmosphere into space. I ordered Tasha, Ensign Yohanatov, to take my EV Suit because hers was damaged. I was terrified, I knew I was going to die. I forced my Katra into her mind. Then I was here. That had to have been nearly two years ago."

"You were badly injured by prolonged exposure to the vacuum and cold of space. Dr. Phalaun sealed you in a stasis tube. You were there for two years, three months, seventeen days, eleven hours, fifty two minutes and twenty four seconds."

Uhura rolled her eyes and Ahida smiled, "Well, dad hasn't changed. Tasha, Ensign Tashaun, the engineer who was with me. Where are they?"

"They both survived. Tasha is with Dr. McCoy. I'm sure she's ok .

They talked for an hour. Nyota filled her in on the little things that she had missed. Spock quizzed her on warp theory, quantum mechanics and filled her in on the latest theory on dylithium crystal regeneration.

There was a knock at the door and Dr. McCoy entered. "Hope I'm not intruding, how do you feel?"

"Well," Ahida said, "considering I spent two years, three months, seven..." McCoy held up a hand.

"Ok, I get it, you feel great."

"How's Tasha?"

"I sent her up to Excelsior." He reached in his pocket and handed a message disk to Ahida. "She wanted you to watch this."

Ahida took the disk and slid it into the small computer beside the bed.

Tasha's smiling face appeared on screen, she saluted. "Lt. Tasha Yoha...oh, what am I saying it's just you. So, hey girl, how ya feel? Don't say anything, I know what you're gonna say: considering I was in a stasis tube for two years, three months, seventeen days, eleven hours, fifty two minutes and twenty four seconds, I feel purty good."

"She knows me very well." Ahida said.

"On a more serious note, there is something I need to tell you. If you're watching this, that means you survived and... I didn't."

"What?" Ahida gasped. Nyota squeezed her hand.

"It's ok. You sacraficed for me, so I'm returning the favor. You gave me two years I wouldn't have had. In those two years, I became the ships Chief Science Officer, I helped discover and survey fourteen of the most beautiful M Class planets you've ever seen. Perfect for colonization. Long range scans indicate there may be dozens more."

"And Tashaun? Remember you said we couldn't lose an engineer. Not long after the accident, he noticed a fluctuation in the matter-antimatter containment field. He saved the ship just before it exploded. Our mission is over, think of all the families being re-united, the colonies that will exist. Because of you. What we do matters." Tasha glanced off to the side. " I think Dr. McCoy is getting impatient. We got a party, called Fal-tor-pan, to go to. Do you think they'll have vodka? I hope they have vodka. Or it might be B.Y.O.B. I'll find out when I get there." The recording ended.

"Tasha you're so stupid." Ahida was shaking. "Mom, I killed her."

"No you didn't. You couldn't have known."

"Bones what happened?"

"Synaptic shock. We tried for hours to revive her. Nothing worked."

For once Spock sat down and put an arm around his daughter.

Quietly, McCoy slipped out of the room. Respecting their privacy.

"Mom, dad, I'll have to always remember what she said, every thing we do matters."


End file.
